Mahindra United scored twice in the second half to blank Chirag United 2-0 in a 13th round encounter of the ONGC I-league at the Yuva Bharati Krirangan in Kolkata on Sunday.
The Mumbai side drew first blood through Steven Dias and then settled the issue through Edeh Chidi, as the local side failed to convert their few chances.
The win helped Derrick Pereira's boys lift themselves from the relegation zone with 15 points from 13 matches, while Chirag remain stuck on 13 points.
While the first-half saw both teams having half-chances, the Mumbai outfit stepped up the momentum especially after their medio Izumi Arata was fouled by United > SC defender Goutam Debnath minutes after the changeover.
Having missed a free-kick in the first-half, Dias, Dias who was later adjudged man-of-the-match, took this one too from outside the box and cleanly found the net to give Mahindra United the lead in the 51st minute.
Izumi, in fact, was instrumental in creating the chance for the second goal in the 72nd minute when he took a shot from the left only to see it defected by the Chirag goalkeeper Somnath Khara.
Chidi, from the right, connected it nicely to beat Khara and complete the scoreline for his side.
Having conceded the goals, Subrata Bhattacharya's boys tried to step up the gas but failed to convert their half chances.